Wisconsin Outdoor News Cuffs & Collars – May 17, 2019

Warden James Moore, of Kewaunee County, assisted with the emergency response to the flooding in March that occurred in northern Manitowoc County involving concerns with an ice jam and the Shoto dam. Several wardens assisted during this event with preparedness to operate boats for water rescues.

Warden Moore received a call about an owl that had twine wrapped around its legs and then became stuck inside a bird house after climbing through a small hole. The bird house had to be removed from a 20-foot pole and taken to the Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary. Bay Beach personnel and Moore disassembled the bird house, were able to remove the screech owl from inside, and unwrapped the twine. The screech owl was kept overnight for observation and set to be released the following day.

Marine Enforcement Unit

Warden Mike Neal, of Sister Bay, instructed at the boating accident investigation training in Wausau in March for the 2018 recruit warden class, along with seven other patrol agencies.

Warden Dave Allen, of Kewaunee, assisted other wardens in March with flooding issues on the West Twin River at Shoto. Ice dams were flooding and high water and possible dam issues.

Warden Allen assisted learn-to-hunt turkey instructors for the Muskrat City Sportsmen Club prepare for their course.

Warden Jordan Resop, of Sturgeon Bay, joined wardens from the region on a focused enforcement/education license check in the Green Bay area. Wardens made more than 300 contacts in March, issued approximately 50 verbal warnings, and eight citations for various violations, including recreational vehicle registrations, unattended lines, fishing with too many lines, whitefish overbagging and an unregistered deer.

Wardens Gaven Brault and Jordan Resop were on patrol on Green Bay and encountered individuals in possession of marijuana and paraphernalia, an individual who was fishing while revoked who also had a valid warrant, and an individual who failed to register a gun buck.

Wardens Brault and Resop walked with an individual fishing in the metro boat launch to check his license. Upon arrival at the car, Brault saw a marijuana pipe in plain view inside the individual’s car, along with an individual sleeping in the front passenger seat. The situation was turned over to the Green Bay Police Department.

Peshtigo Team

Wardens Jacob Cross, of Shawano, and Mark Schraufnagel, of Clintonville, were traveling in Shawano County in March when they saw a large hay bale placed in a back yard. The wardens were able to make contact with the owner of the residence and found the bale was placed out to feed deer. For several years it has been illegal to feed/bait deer in Shawano County. Enforcement action was taken.

Warden Cross responded to a snowmobile crash on the Mountain Bay Trail. The operator was traveling east when she turned around to look behind her, steering off the trail and striking a tree. The operator was taken to Wausau via ambulance for treatment of several injuries resulting from the crash.

Wardens Cross and Timothy Otto, of Antigo, responded to a call of a man who had fallen off of his barn roof while shoveling snow. Wardens assisted the Shawano County Sheriff’s Department and Birnamwood Fire and EMS, shutting down Hwy. 45 for Flight for Life.

Warden Cross was traveling back from assisting with training in March when he was approached by an adult female in a gas station parking lot. The woman was found to be missing from Minnesota and had several mental health and drug abuse issues. She was later taken into custody by local law enforcement.

Warden Paul Hartrick, of Oconto Falls, investigated a complaint of an individual shooting from a vehicle on a paved road. While Hartrick was driving to the scene, he observed the suspect vehicle at a nearby house. Hartrick went to the residence and found the individual had shot at an opossum on the side of the road with a .22 rifle. Hartrick found the individual hunted and discharged a firearm within 50 feet of the road’s center. Enforcement action was taken.

Warden Hartrick assisted the Oconto County Sheriff’s Department with an expanded authority incident regarding a suspicious vehicle in the ditch. Hartrick was close to the location of the call and was requested by the sheriff’s department to assist. Upon contact, Hartrick observed a person sitting behind the steering wheel who appeared to be impaired by alcohol. During the contact, it became apparent the driver was intoxicated and was eventually arrested by an Oconto County Sheriff’s Department deputy for second offense OWI.

Lake Winnebago Team

Warden Michael Disher, of Chilton, investigated an illegal deer feeding complaint involving a business. It was discovered the owner and his employees had placed well in excess of two gallons for feeding deer. The area was covered in hay, corn, a mineral block, and bakery items. Enforcement action was taken for illegal feeding.

Warden Disher investigated a littering complaint at High Cliff State Park in March. Several boxes, cans, bottles, car parts and other debris were left in the parking area next to the office. A suspect was identified, and an investigation revealed a responsible party. Enforcement action was taken.

Warden Amanda Kretschmer, of Winneconne, received a complaint in March of a landowner placing feed for deer too close to the roadway. Kretschmer found a landowner had placed corn and a mineral block within 30 yards of a roadway with a speed limit of 45 mph. The landowner also had more than the 2-gallon feed limit allowed. Enforcement action was taken.

Warden Vong Xiong, of Sherwood, received information from the hotline regarding an individual who was impersonating a warden in the Kieso’s Landing area (Winnebago County) on the Wolf River. Xiong responded and assisted the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department with apprehending the suspect and transporting to the hospital for evaluation.

Sheboygan / Fond du Lac Counties

Warden Anthony Arndt, of Sheboygan County, responded to a complaint from DNR wildlife staff of a dead deer found with a recent bullet wound. It was determined the animal was shot 24 hours prior in the area of a shooting complaint the Sheboygan County Sheriff’s Department investigated. No suspects were identified. The investigation is ongoing.

Wautoma Team

Wardens Kaitlin Kernosky, of New London, and Jonathan Kaiser, of Wautoma, contacted an individual who was believed to be engaged in taxidermy without a license. Upon further investigation, enforcement action was taken for conducting taxidermy without a license, as well as possessing approximately 70 panfish more than the possession limit.

Warden Kaiser worked with an ice fishing shelter owner and a local Amish farmer in March to assist the shelter owner in removing the shelter from North Lake near Iola by use of horses due to the inclement ice conditions.

Warden Kernosky contacted an individual in March who was ice fishing on a backwater of the Wolf River. The individual initially was found to be fishing with too many lines (three tip-ups and one jig pole) and fishing for northern pike during the closed season. During the contact, Kernosky observed a black garbage bag hidden under an Otter Sled that contained four northern pike. The individual was found to be fishing during the closed season, in possession of game fish during the closed season, possession over his daily bag limit of northern pike, fishing with too many lines, and possession of undersized northern pike. This same individual received a citation from Kernosky two years prior for fishing with too many lines. Enforcement action was taken.

Warden Benjamin Mott, of Wautoma, received a call in March about an eagle that was splashing around in a creek. Mott found the eagle still on the ground, and when he approached it the eagle hopped up onto a tree. Mott could see that there was ice on some of the bird’s feathers from the extremely cold temperatures. The bird was then able to hop to a high branch in the tree and take off and fly away. Based on a large feather imprint in the snow the eagle attempted to catch something in the creek and ended up in the water and the cold affected its feathers for a while until it was able to fly away.

Warden Mott was on patrol during the early part of March when some significant flooding of roadways in Waushara County occurred. Multiple individuals were attempting to cross a flooded portion of a roadway that also was jammed up with ice and snow that broke loose from a field and one got stuck, causing the vehicle to stop and fill with water. Mott was able to get to the location and assist the motorist until the sheriff’s department could arrive.

Warden John Schreiber, of Green Lake, was working trout fishermen and snowmobile patrol by snowmobile on Green Lake. Schreiber came across two individuals who had recently smoked marijuana and possessed drug paraphernalia. The contraband was seized, and enforcement action was taken through the Green Lake Sheriff’s Department.

SOUTH-CENTRAL REGION

Madison Team

Warden Henry Bauman, of Dane County, assisted warden Vong Xiong, of Calumet County, take enforcement actions against several individuals from Oregon in Dane County who left multiple unattended lines on Lake Winnebago during an ice fishing tournament.

Warden Bauman took enforcement action in March against individuals for fishing in a closed area at the Wingra dam refuge in Madison, in the closed area at the Tenney dam refuge in Madison, and in the closed area at the spillway refuge in Broadhead. Bauman also took enforcement action with individuals for fishing game fish during the closed season at the Stoughton dam.

Warden Ryan Caputo, of Dane County, watched a tip-up that was up for more than one hour before making contact with the anglers in their shack. Upon contact, Caputo woke the anglers to inform them their tip-up was up. Enforcement action was taken for fishing with unattended lines.

Warden Caputo helped with placing sandbags to help with the flooding in Lodi. Caputo also blocked off a bridge on Hwy. J, until the highway department arrived and deemed the bridge safe for travel.

Warden Nick King, of Green County, contacted two individuals who were ice fishing at Cadiz Spring in March. The contact resulted in finding that the individuals were fishing for game fish during the closed season. Enforcement action was taken.

Wardens Pete McCormick, of Poynette, and Brad Burton, of Beaver Dam, investigated an illegal trapping complaint in March. They identified the trapper who left traps out after season. Enforcement action taken.

Sauk County Team

Warden Keith Meverden, of Sauk County, arrested an individual for felony operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated with a juvenile passenger in 2018 in the Sauk-Prairie Recreation Area. The case was concluded in March with the operator being convicted of operating while intoxicated.

Warden Rich Maki, of Sauk County, was on patrol near Mirror Lake State Park and observed a snowmobile fail to stop at a stop sign. The operator also pulled out onto the road in front of a moving vehicle. The road was snow covered and icy and the operator narrowly missed being struck. Enforcement action was taken.

Warden Maki was patrolling southern Sauk County and checked a group of coyote hunters, one of whom was in possession of a loaded firearm on an unregistered UTV while operating on a non-road route. Enforcement action was taken.

Warden Maki investigated a bowfishing complaint near Lake Redstone in Sauk County. It was determined that a group of kids from the area were involved in several violations over the past couple years. Maki met with the individuals and their parents and discussed the situation and issued several warnings. No other enforcement action was taken. The parents were thankful for the way the matter was handled.

Warden Maki received a complaint in March of individuals fishing with more than the legal number of fishing rods at the Sauk dam on the Wisconsin River. While investigating the complaint from a distance the suspects were observed leaving the river bank and left the area in a vehicle. They left behind multiple lines in the water unattended, as well as an active camp fire. Upon their return, they were carrying a case of beer and admitted to going to gas station. They didn’t think it was a problem to leave lines in the water. Enforcement action was taken.

Dodgeville Team

Warden David Youngquist, of Iowa County, followed up on a complaint of a video that had been posted to social media of an unleashed dog being used to follow the blood trail of a wounded deer. It was discovered that it was a staged video created to generate business.

Rock River Team

Dodge/Jefferson/Rock Counties

Wardens Kyle Johnson, of Janesville, and Nick King, of Green County, completed a deer and turkey hunting case in March that involved a subject who used another person’s archery buck approval. The subject was also found to have harvested two turkeys and failed to register them. Enforcement action was taken.

Warden Johnson observed a person in a kayak actively bowfishing. Johnson observed the person shoot three carp with his bow and place them in the kayak. When Johnson checked the person on shore he only had one carp in his kayak. The person admitted to discarding the dead carp back into the water and was also found to not have a wearable lifejacket in his kayak. Enforcement action was taken.

Warden Johnson saw two people fishing below the Beloit dam in March. Johnson observed one of the individuals engage in drug-related activity. Upon contact, the person was found to have drug paraphernalia and a pill bottle that contained marijuana. The person was placed into custody and turned over to the Beloit Police Department.

Warden Austin Schumacher, of Janesville, responded to a water rescue involving a kayaker who tipped overboard and was unconscious and suffering from hypothermia. In partnership with the Rock County Sheriff’s Department, Schumacher conducted an investigation into the incident.

Warden Brad Burton, of Beaver Dam, investigated a case of alleged interference with lawful fishing activity. Burton worked cooperatively with the Dodge County Sheriff’s Department on the case and enforcement action was taken.

Warden Alex Brooks, of Jefferson, was patrolling in Lake Mills when he observed an ATV operator riding down Main Street / Hwy. 89 (not a designated ATV road route). Upon contact, Brooks discovered the ATV was also not registered. Enforcement action was taken.

Wardens Mike Hirschboeck, of Racine County, assisted the Racine County Sheriff’s Department with a 911 call of a domestic abuse situation occurring at a residence in the county. Hirschboeck arrived on the scene and found the female hiding in pine trees along the side of the home. Hirschboeck assisted the female to safety until the Racine County Sheriff’s Department arrived on scene.

Warden Brad Latza, of Racine, had contact with two individuals ice fishing near the Root River in Racine County in March. The first individual did not have a fishing license and was using three tip-ups. The other individual was using three tip-ups as well as a jig pole for a fourth line. Enforcement action was taken.

Warden Tayor Meinholz, of Union Grove, received information about some individuals target shooting on New Munster public hunting ground. Meinholz investigated and located two individuals target shooting.They were shooting toward a heavily used walking trail. Enforcement action was taken, and the individuals were educated about the laws and safety.